Groovy Plants Ranch of Marengo, Ohio, offers much more than your standard greenhouse. From bulbs, seeds, and artisan goods in their School House to low-light houseplants in their Jungle Hut and succulents in their Mercantile, Groovy Plants Ranch offers something for all things plant related.
They offer many photo ops that will look good on Instagram and some unique props and attractions throughout their property, so there is plenty to see and experience at The Ranch, and it may take more than just one day to discover all it has to offer!
The School House
Groovy Plants Ranch encompasses three buildings and offers something for everyone at its three storefronts. The School House sells bulbs and seeds, while its Mercantile offers succulents and cacti in ceramic pots and succulent houseplants such as Dragon Jade or Monstera Peru. Jungle Hut offers low-light houseplants, while Rare Plant Vault holds more exotic varieties such as Dragon Jade or Monstera Peru. There are classes and special events held here – and its pot-your-own station could even come straight out of Woodstock!
Jared Hughes will likely surprise most by divulging where Groovy Plants Ranch started: the greenhouses at Foertmeyer & Sons. After working there to learn about plant cultivation, he took over its entire operation full-time along with Liz; their two young daughters regularly help out during special events or other shop activities as they continually adjust to a constantly shifting plant market by offering new greenhouse tours or adult workshops.
The Mercantile
Groovy Plants Ranch is more than a greenhouse and nursery; it’s an experience. Packed with Instagram-worthy props – like its iconic 1970s van permanently parked outside or its sprawling Cryptanthus with multicolored stripes – Groovy Plants Ranch offers plenty of practical reasons for visitors. From massive retail greenhouses to potting bars where customers can report new plants into suitable vessels, their facility provides all you need for an enjoyable visit.
North of Columbus lies an extraordinary greenhouse and retail store, which has become more than just an ordinary greenhouse and retail store: it is an attraction. Offering everything from everyday household plants to exotic succulents, as well as seeds and starters for gardeners on the move, their mercantile hosts classes, wine nights, and workshops designed specifically for children’s education at Page Town School – they have something for every gardening enthusiast at this facility!
“Our mission is to bring people together and share our love of horticulture,” Jared Hughes explains. Although their business may seem unconventional, they embrace its eccentricities. When customers react positively to innovations or experiments they try out, they know it has worked! “We have witnessed our industry change over time, so we try to stay at the cutting edge,” Jared adds.
The Jungle Hut
Groovy Plants Ranch offers much more than your ordinary garden center: It is an experience! A place where calculation and order give way to spontaneity. A small airplane here, a Volkswagen Beetle there, and even a pot-your-own station inspired by Woodstock and bell bottoms all play an integral part in making Groovy Plants Ranch an unforgettable one-stop experience.
Marengo (18 miles from Delaware and 36 miles from Columbus) is home to The Ranch, offering one-stop shopping with everything from plants to ceramic pots, classes, and wine nights for plant lovers alike. School House provides bulbs and seeds; Mercantile sells artisan goods and ranch merchandise; Jungle Hut offers low-light houseplants.
Jared and Liz Hughes’ business has thrived since it opened in 2007 due to their passion for rare plants, customer experience, and intense dedication to sustainability – using cuttings from their plants to propagate new ones! Additionally, their greenhouses remain open year-round, selling flowers, vegetables, pumpkins, mums, and fall plants throughout spring/summer/autumn.
The Shop
Groovy Plants Ranch serves a practical purpose – the Hughes use cuttings to propagate plants for sale – but there’s an overwhelming sense of fun present at every turn, from miniature airplanes and VW Beetles to a pot-your-own station reminiscent of Woodstock days and bell bottoms.
Jared Hughes likes to joke that Groovy Plants Ranch began on the floor of Foertmeyer and Sons Greenhouse in Delaware, Ohio. He purchased an entire retail rack of succulents that weren’t selling – his introduction to horticulture. Today, they employ over 60 people while they continue learning – all while having great fun!
